Michelle MARDER Kamhi ’54 embraces a perspective about art that runs contrary to the practice of many contemporary artists and the scholarly works of art historians. She posits that traditional, figurative art should be upheld for its aesthetic creation, and that many modern, abstract works are, as she terms it, “pseudo art.” Kamhi has dedicated decades of research to this topic and has authored three books on the subject. Her latest, Bucking the Artworld Tide: Reflections on Art, Pseudo Art, Art Education & Theory (Pro Arte Books 2020) was recently published. Kirkus Reviews stated that her book is “solidly argued… thoughtfully presented… and strongly opinionated,” and the Midwest Book Review noted that her writings “shake[s] the foundation of today’s art establishment, challenging its basic tenets.” Adherents to her theories can read more of her work on www.aristos.org, an online publication devoted to the arts for which she is Co-Editor.
